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 Field Trial Results: Investigating the Benefits of Increased Fracture Conductivity in the Low-Permeability Sandstones of the Pinedale Anticline, Western Wyoming
M.C. Vincent, SPE, CARBO Ceramics Inc.
This paper details the results of a field trial initiated in the low-permeability Lance and Mesaverde sandstones of the Pinedale Anticline in western Wyoming. This area is characterized by overpressured (9.5-16 ppg), tight (0.005-0.015 md) gas sands found at depths of 8000-14,500 ft, and deposited in vast alluvial planes. These formations also exhibit frac gradients on the order of 0.82-0.98 psi/ft. Wells are stimulation with an average of 16 fracture stages, using a combination of sand, resin-coated sand and economy lightweight ceramic proppants. While the field trial was designed to replace the RCS stages with ELWC in four new wells that had good offset data, the paper also gives results of individual zones within the well through the use of post frac production logging data.
Highlights of the paper include an affirmation that zones using CARBOECONOPROP® – whether as a replacement for RCS, as a stand alone stage in deeper zones, or as a tail in – saw gas production increases of 150% - 200% over the conventional designs. When normalized for kh and drawdown, ELWC stages produced 2-4 times the production of RCS stages. On a composite well basis, the trial wells (all ELWC) provided 44% higher peak production rates than those with RCS.
The paper also contains longer term data on the same wells indicating that even after 250 MMCF had been produced from a typical well, the ELCW well production was 180-350% higher. Payouts of the incremental investment for ELWC occurred within 20 days. For $18,000 incremental cost in a trial well, $300,000 incremental cash flow was generated in the first year alone.
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